Compare towns
Danvers vs Hanson vs Pepperell vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Pepperell has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Danvers | Hanson | Pepperell | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
10,660 |
11,663 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
42.4±3.3Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$482,100±$14kLowest 14% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Danvers and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654 11% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$6,698 12% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 15% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Whitman-Hanson | North Middlesex | Middleton |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.